Unraveling the European Agricultural Policy Sustainable Development Trajectory

Amidst growing concerns about the impact of agriculture on the environment, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has been overhauled to prioritize sustainable rural development in European agriculture. Based on this line of thought, the present contribution delves into the details of the CAP’s shift, focusing on the main environmental concerns faced in the policy-making framework. Grounded in a political science perspective, the current study looks at how environmental and climate change concerns were gradually elevated inside the CAP’s policy-making framework and how they helped create the “green architecture” for European agriculture. Examining the process of policy change under the lens of historical institutionalism and neo-institutionalism within the multilevel governance framework of the European Union (EU), the key role played by the gradual introduction of measures aimed at promoting measurable environmental criteria and climatic targets is highlighted. For instance, measures aimed at preserving carbon-rich soils and enhancing water resources can have positive impacts on the environment. However, these measures were also recognized to increase the cost of production for the European farmers, who faced serious difficulties in adjusting to the new framework. Within this context, this research delves into the roles played by two additional fundamental entities: the consumer and environmental activism. Additionally, the study underscores the EU’s commitment to addressing climate change and sustainable development challenges and how conditionality is being used to link funding to results. Upon analyzing the CAP’s shift, the reflection of a more flexible and rational approach is argued to be embodied by the new policy architecture. By incorporating both CAP pillars, encouraging collaboration with compatible policies, and allowing for greater adaptability in response to the unique circumstances and objectives of each member state, the CAP is taking significant steps towards sustainability and climate action. These insights into the significance and implications of the CAP’s shift towards sustainability offer valuable recommendations for future policy developments, emphasizing the need to balance environmental concerns with the needs of farmers and other stakeholders

Long-term planning and development for urban and regional inclusion, safety, resilience, and sustainability. Insights from Singapore

Today, Singapore is a thriving city-state representing a growth of almost eighty percent since 1990. A feasible combination of state authorities’ planning, policy implementation, public-private partnerships, and international assistance has led to the city-state’s development and sustainability. Urban economics fl uctuations, demographic shifts, environment degradation reaching to irreversible points, among others, are expected to challenge the future of cities the next 50 years. Thus, it is considered essential to plan ahead for sustainability and resource management. This study delves into the broad policies and practices that have contributed to Singapore’s success story while also getting into recent years’ specifi cs and modern technologies of sustainable planning and development. Adopting a case study of Singapore long-term, or constant, re-development, fi ndings contribute to the enhancement of the existing body of knowledge in the fi eld of sustainable planning and can benefi t those interested in understanding from a policy and operational standpoint. The Singapore example illustrates that technocratic competence in design, planning, and implementation is a fundamental requirement for the long-term world-wide sustainability scheme expressed by the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Measuring the level of environmental performance in insular areas, through key performed indicators, in the framework of waste strategy development

To measure “something that is not there”, is not easy and at the same time not fully understandable and perceived by the citizens. Several elements (such as, waste production, waste management cost, social attitude and behaviour, etc.) interrupt and disturb any strategy in the framework of waste management. Additionally, through the European Green Deal (EGD), Europe is trying to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, taking into account the Circular Economy Strategy (CES) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs). A Driving Force-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) breakdown was applied, to establish and organize key information's on the environmental performance (E.P) taking into consideration the existing pollution, reviewing the contemporary knowledge and existing implemented waste strategies on the driving forces, pressures, states and impacts. This paper includes several key performed indicators (KPIs), in order to evaluate the E.P of an area, through hybrid approach which cover among others, the waste compositional analysis, SWOT and PESTEL analysis, waste recycling and waste accumulation index, prevention activities, awareness activities etc. The results indicate that, the selected areas implement periodic measures, but they need to put more effort to boost their citizens to participate in any proposed waste strategy. Furthermore, the results are very valuable and helpful to policy makers, consultants, scientists, competent authorities, stakeholders etc., in order to design and promote synergies and activities (mainly in Local Authorities), to reach the proposed figures that EGD, proposed in relation with the CES as well as with the SDGs

Adaptive Reuse for Sustainable Development and Land Use: A Multivariate Linear Regression Analysis Estimating Key Determinants of Public Perceptions

Adaptive reuse is a rapidly expanding frontier study area across the world. Adaptive reuse can have a significant influence in relation to contemporary trends in (peri-)urban sustainability, especially considering the past decades of the human-caused depletion of natural resources and environmental pollution. Adaptive reuse developments, which manage to incorporate a (scientifically) predefined set of conceptual theories, policy principles, and practical tools, as all the available data suggest, can achieve a good balance between invested capital, ecological conservation, the preservation of the cultural heritage, and sustainable urban regenerative renewal. This study focused on the recent FIX Brewery adaptive reuse project in Athens, Greece, as a means to establish the key public perception determinants of the adaptive reuse practice impacts on (peri-)urban sustainable development. Evidence for the relationships among five factors was provided through multiple linear regression analysis. The new empirical findings are likely to encourage concerned parties and stakeholders, and particularly regulatory entities, to pursue essential actions to set adaptive reuse at the core of urban and spatial masterplans, paving the way toward sustainable and circular cities

Applied urban sustainability: mixed methods research on adaptive reuse practices: studying the FIX case

Adaptive reuse is a building conversion process, to undertake a change of use, retaining as much as possible of the original architecture and construction, while upgrading the performance to meet current standards. The purpose of this doctoral dissertation is to explore the parameters that contribute to the long-term impact of adaptive reuse practices on sustainable urban development, taking into consideration the circular economy and sustainability principles. The over-arching objective is to underscore that adaptive reuse is a holistic and sustainable alternative solution, as well as to develop practical decision-making tools. In order to achieve the objectives set, and to analyze all aspects involved, this study employed a mixed method research. The set up used, is comprised of a thorough literature review, a case study research, an integrated SWOT-PESTLE-AHP approach, a Fuzzy-DEMATEL technique, and a statistical analysis including descriptive statistics and an ordinal logistic regression. The current research mainly focuses on industrial buildings of cultural heritage within the urban fabric for two main reasons. First, those buildings are considered to have had a profound impact in shaping modern cities, and second, by re-using such buildings, cities can achieve the widest practicable impact on local sustainable development. Studying the FIX Brewery case, through a historical and an architectural reading, the uniqueness and importance of the building is revealed, both as a stand-alone piece of architecture, and as an integral part of the broader concept of urban spatial planning, cultural fabric and historical identity. In addition, the vast potential for sustainable development in economic, social, cultural, as well as environmental terms is clearly indicated, as evidenced by the recently undertaken adaptive reuse, in order to house the Hellenic National Museum of Contemporary Art. Results clearly indicate that, on the one hand, adaptive reuse is an extremely complex field of study, and on the other hand that adaptive reuse projects constitute sustainable urban development practices. In addition, the findings of the current research identified the critical factors influencing the local sustainable development through adaptive reuse projects, as well as the direction and level of interaction among them. Through a systematic study, the most critical factors are: land conservation against urban sprawl, cultural heritage protection, local memory and cultural identity preservation, environmental management, and quality of life improvement. This study argues that the understanding of this complex system of factors, along with their interdependence, is essential towards achieving optimal sustainable urban development. Moreover, empirical results suggest links among five factors affecting museum visitor perceptions as to the impact of adaptive reuse on urban centers.The current doctoral thesis constitutes an original, holistic, and multilevel research study, whose findings are of great practical significance. The results could serve all interesting parties, inter alia government leaders, property developers, urban planners and sustainability experts as a useful reference point or a guide for all future adaptive reuse projects or strategic urban plans.Η προσαρμοσμένη επανάχρηση κτιρίων είναι η διαδικασία μετασχηματισμού κτιρίων κατά την οποία αλλάζει η αρχικώς προοριζόμενη χρήση, διατηρώντας όσο το δυνατόν περισσότερο την αρχική αρχιτεκτονική και κατασκευή του κτιρίου, με αναβάθμιση ωστόσο της απόδοσής του, ώστε αυτή να ανταποκρίνεται στα σημερινά δεδομένα και πρότυπα. Σκοπός της παρούσας διατριβής ήταν να διερευνήσει εκείνες τις παραμέτρους που συντελούν στο μακροπρόθεσμο αποτύπωμα των πρακτικών προσαρμοσμένης επανάχρησης, ως προς τη βιώσιμη ανάπτυξη του περιβάλλοντος αστικού τοπίου, συνυπολογίζοντας παραμέτρους από τους πυλώνες της βιωσιμότητας. Απώτερος στόχος ήταν η ανάδειξη της προσαρμοσμένης επανάχρησης ως μιας ολιστικής, ευαίσθητης, βιώσιμης και περιεκτικής πραγματοποιήσιμης λύσης προς άμεση υιοθέτηση, καθώς και να δημιουργήσει αξιοποιήσιμα προσεχώς εργαλεία λήψης και εφαρμογής αποφάσεων. Μεθοδολογικά χρησιμοποιήθηκε μια προσέγγιση πολυμεθοδικής ανάλυσης, η οποία περιλαμβάνει την ενδελεχή μελέτη της υφιστάμενης βιβλιογραφίας, την έρευνα συγκεκριμένης περίπτωσης μελέτης, την ποιοτική ανάλυση, την εφαρμογή συστήματος υποστήριξης λήψης αποφάσεων, και τη στατιστική ανάλυση ερωτηματολογίου. Η διατριβή εστίασε την προσοχή της στη μελέτη κυρίως βιομηχανικών κτιρίων πολιτιστικής κληρονομιάς εντός του αστικού ιστού, καθώς, πρώτον, κρίνεται ότι έπαιξαν καταλυτικό ρόλο στη διαμόρφωση των σύγχρονων πόλεων, και δεύτερον, η προσαρμοσμένη επανάχρησή τους έχει τον μεγαλύτερο δυνατό αντίκτυπο στην τοπική βιώσιμη ανάπτυξη. Η μελέτη της περίπτωσης του βιομηχανικού κτιρίου της ζυθοποιίας ΦΙΞ επί της λεωφόρου Συγγρού, με την ιστορική και αρχιτεκτονική ανάγνωσή της, αναδεικνύει την ιδιαιτερότητα και τη σπουδαιότητά του, αρχικά ως αυτοτελές αρχιτεκτόνημα και κατόπιν ως αναπόσπαστο κομμάτι της ευρύτερης χωροταξίας του τόπου και της ιστορικής μνήμης. Επιπλέον, επισημαίνονται ευκρινώς οι πολυπληθείς προοπτικές βιώσιμης ανάπτυξης με όρους οικονομικούς, κοινωνικούς, πολιτιστικούς και περιβαλλοντικούς, όπως προκύπτουν και από την πρόσφατη προσαρμοσμένη επανάχρησή του για τη στέγαση του Εθνικού Μουσείου Σύγχρονης Τέχνης (ΕΜΣΤ). Τα ερευνητικά αποτελέσματα της βιβλιογραφικής έρευνας και της εμπειρικής ανάλυσης επισημαίνουν καταρχάς ότι τα έργα προσαρμοσμένης επανάχρησης: α) αποτελούν ένα αυτοτελές και ιδιαίτερα πολύπλοκο πεδίο έρευνας και β) αποτελούν πρακτικές βιώσιμης αστικής ανάπτυξης. Στη συνέχεια, η έρευνα καταδεικνύει τους παράγοντες που επηρεάζουν τη βιώσιμη αστική ανάπτυξη μέσα από πρακτικές προσαρμοσμένης επανάχρησης και προχωράει στην ανάλυσή τους. Συνοπτικά, οι παράγοντες αυτοί αφορούν στην προστασία της γης κατά της αστικής εξάπλωσης, την προστασία και διατήρηση της πολιτιστικής κληρονομιάς και τοπικής μνήμης, τη διαχείριση του περιβάλλοντος, και τη βελτίωση της ποιότητας ζωής. Υποστηρίζει δε, ότι η κατανόηση αυτού του πολύπλοκου συστήματος παραγόντων και της αλληλεξάρτησής τους είναι απαραίτητη προκειμένου να επιτευχθεί βέλτιστη αστική βιώσιμη ανάπτυξη. Επιπρόσθετα, η στατιστική ανάλυση ερωτηματολογίου (N=148) αποδεικνύει την ύπαρξη συσχετισμού μεταξύ μορφωτικού επιπέδου, βαθμού ικανοποίησης από την επίσκεψη στο ΕΜΣΤ, και άλλων παραγόντων από αυτούς που εντοπίστηκαν να επηρεάζουν την άποψη των επισκεπτών του ΕΜΣΤ ως προς την επίδραση που μπορεί να έχει η προσαρμοσμένη επανάχρηση του κτιρίου ΦΙΞ στη συνολική ανάπτυξη της ευρύτερης περιοχής. Η παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή αποτελεί μια πρωτότυπη, ολιστική και πολυεπίπεδη ερευνητική πρόταση, τα ευρήματα της οποίας μπορούν να αποτελέσουν οδηγό στα χέρια κάθε ειδικού, αιρετού και ενδιαφερόμενου, για κάθε μελλοντικό έργο προσαρμοσμένης επανάχρησης ή στρατηγικό σχέδιο αστικής ανασυγκρότησης

Unraveling the European Agricultural Policy Sustainable Development Trajectory

Amidst growing concerns about the impact of agriculture on the environment, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has been overhauled to prioritize sustainable rural development in European agriculture. Based on this line of thought, the present contribution delves into the details of the CAP’s shift, focusing on the main environmental concerns faced in the policy-making framework. Grounded in a political science perspective, the current study looks at how environmental and climate change concerns were gradually elevated inside the CAP’s policy-making framework and how they helped create the “green architecture” for European agriculture. Examining the process of policy change under the lens of historical institutionalism and neo-institutionalism within the multilevel governance framework of the European Union (EU), the key role played by the gradual introduction of measures aimed at promoting measurable environmental criteria and climatic targets is highlighted. For instance, measures aimed at preserving carbon-rich soils and enhancing water resources can have positive impacts on the environment. However, these measures were also recognized to increase the cost of production for the European farmers, who faced serious difficulties in adjusting to the new framework. Within this context, this research delves into the roles played by two additional fundamental entities: the consumer and environmental activism. Additionally, the study underscores the EU’s commitment to addressing climate change and sustainable development challenges and how conditionality is being used to link funding to results. Upon analyzing the CAP’s shift, the reflection of a more flexible and rational approach is argued to be embodied by the new policy architecture. By incorporating both CAP pillars, encouraging collaboration with compatible policies, and allowing for greater adaptability in response to the unique circumstances and objectives of each member state, the CAP is taking significant steps towards sustainability and climate action. These insights into the significance and implications of the CAP’s shift towards sustainability offer valuable recommendations for future policy developments, emphasizing the need to balance environmental concerns with the needs of farmers and other stakeholders

Shaping Sustainable Cities: A Long-Term GIS-Emanated Spatial Analysis of Settlement Growth and Planning in a Coastal Mediterranean European City

European cities have experienced rapid (and often conflicting) transformations that include, inter alia, the environment, the economy, society, climate change, and access to affordable housing, with implications for their future development. In order to address such issues, assessing the current situation of European metropolises is crucial to understanding new urban development models. In light of these dynamics, our study focused on urban expansion in Pafos, Cyprus, between 1993 and 2021. Such dynamics were examined through photointerpretation (using kernel density estimation) via the ArcGISPro spatial analyst tool. The empirical results of this analysis are considered particularly insightful, especially those regarding urban sprawl and its implications for future land management for the study area, and could help toward shaping specific policies to guide cities towards sustainable and environmentally friendly development. The analysis reveals a gradual increase in settlements over time (55%), although the rate of growth has decreased in recent years, as a consequence of the economic crisis. Density maps revealed varying levels of urban concentration density, highlighting the presence of high-density settlement cores downtown and low-density, dispersed settlements in the surrounding districts. According to the empirical findings of this study, urban growth in Pafos features fragmented development patterns with scattered building landscapes and large empty spaces. To address the challenges of urban sprawl in the study area, specific actions are proposed to promote sustainable urban development and mitigate its negative impacts. By examining Pafos building/settlement development and urban planning, stakeholders can gain valuable insights and implement viable solutions for the future. This study contributes to the evolving discourse on urbanization, its characteristics, causes, and consequences, and highlights the importance of the “compact city” model as a counterforce to urban sprawl and a pathway to sustainability

Sustainable metropolitan areas perspectives through assessment of the existing waste management strategies

International audienc

Toward a ‘Migrant Trap’? Local Development, Urban Sustainability, Sociodemographic Inequalities, and the Economic Decline in a Mediterranean Metropolis

After years following the breakdown of the Great Recession in Europe, crisis-driven urban shrinkage can be adequately investigated considering changes over time in selected demographic indicators, with a specific focus on migration. Using official statistics and a literature review, the present study documents the inherent demographic decline in metropolitan Athens (Greece) as a response to economic stagnation after a long-lasting expansion. The empirical results of our study delineate metropolitan shrinkage in Southern Europe as a process associated with complex socioeconomic conditions leading to (possibly counterintuitive) demographic outcomes as far as migration trends are concerned. Recession has determined unsustainable economic conditions especially for non-native population segments, promoting both class and ethnic segregation. The negative migration balance in the 2010s led to an intense population decline hitting settlements made already demographically fragile because of low fertility and aging. Athens became a sort of ‘migrant trap’, being progressively unattractive for incoming migration flows—both internal and international—and losing an increasingly high number of non-native residents settling in the area, especially during the ‘gold’ decade of the 2004 Olympics. A sudden reduction in immigration rates reflected both economic (recession) and non-economic (population aging, fertility reduction, and childbearing postponement) factors, causing an incipient shrinkage after secular urban growth. The empirical results of our study add to the traditional literature on ‘industrial cities shrinkage’ in Europe and contribute to (re)formulate short- and medium-term development scenarios in large agglomerations, shedding further light on the role of migration in crisis-driven processes of urban decline in Mediterranean Europe